GLA Training

Gareth Bacon: Can you provide the total GLA spend on external training providers for each of the last 3 years, broken down by directorate?

The Mayor: Table 1 below sets out the total GLA spend against the training budget code, by Directorate, for each of the last 3 years. This spend is managed and monitored locally. There are certain caveats that should be noted:
Table 1: Training spend by Directorate (2016-17 to 2018-19)
Directorate
2016-17
2017-18
2018-19
Assembly and Secretariat
33,671.97
26,791.18
32,409.82
Chief Officer
172.00
0
705.00
Communities & Intelligence
96,781.42
140,775.81
62,460.88
Corporate
1,899.00
1,080.00
6,700.00
Development, Enterprise & Environment
17,842.28
12,992.60
39,129.96
Housing and Land
21,299.40
21,112.75
21,979.50
Mayor's Office
3,075.00
725.00
Resources
214,822.07
216,957.63
370,137.36
Grand Total
386,488.14
422,784.97
534,247.52
The corporate central spend on external provision of learning and development to staff is outlined in Table 2 below. This shows spend that is coded to the Staff Training budget code and the majority of this spend is on external training providers. The take-up of corporate learning activity is monitored by Directorate and published as part of the workforce reporting.
Table 2: Corporate Learning & Development Training spend from 2016-17 to 2018-19
2016-17
2017-18
2018-19
Corporate central L&OD budget spend
174,799.95
142,664.24
171,977.68

Cycling in Enfield & Haringey

Joanne McCartney: What investment have you made and are planning to make in cycling infrastructure in Enfield & Haringey?

The Mayor: Since the inception of Transport for London’s (TfL) Mini-Holland programme in 2013/14, approximately £22 million has been invested in cycling improvements across the London Borough of Enfield. A further £14 million investment in cycling and walking improvements is planned over the coming years to complete the Mini-Holland scheme, and this includes £6 million of funding for the Liveable Neighbourhood Project at Enfield Town.
Over the same time period, TfL has invested approximately £1.6 million in the London Borough of Haringey on cycling improvements. Subject to public consultation, a further £20 million investment is planned for cycling and walking improvements over the coming years. This includes approximately £5m for the Liveable Neighbourhood Project in Crouch End.

Walking in Enfield & Haringey

Joanne McCartney: What investment have you made and are planning to make to ensure that walking is more pleasurable in Enfield & Haringey?

The Mayor: In line with my Walking Action Plan, Transport for London (TfL) actively supports schemes in both Enfield and Haringey that encourage people to switch to healthier modes of transport. In these boroughs, TfL is investing £4.7 million of Local Implementation Plan funding this financial year, which will contribute to better walking infrastructure across the boroughs, alongside other Healthy Streets improvements.
As set out in my response to Mayor’s Question 2019/20562, significant additional investment is planned for cycling and walking improvements in Enfield and Haringey. Of this, £6 million has been awarded to the Liveable Neighbourhood project in Enfield Town, which will focus on Church Street, reducing traffic dominance by narrowing the carriageway, connecting Market Square and the shopping centre, and making it safer to walk to the train station. Other planned improvements include safer junctions, easy-to-cross pedestrian routes on Cecil Road, and new 20mph speed limits on Church St, Cecil Rd, London Rd and Genotin Rd.
Haringey has also been awarded £4.8 million Liveable Neighbourhoods funding to dramatically improve conditions for pedestrian and cyclists around Crouch End town centre.

Bus Routes serving Schools (3)

Keith Prince: How many fewer bus journeys on routes serving schools are there today in comparison to 30th April 2016?

The Mayor: Many of London’s bus routes serve schools. Transport for London cannot separately identify bus routes used by school pupils and staff.
There are six per cent fewer bus passenger journeys on school-specific services compared to the year to 30 April 2016 and seven per cent fewer free child bus journeys in total. This is in the context of patterns across the network, where passenger journeys in the last year have reduced by 4.5 per cent compared to the year to 30 April 2016.

Cycleway 4

Len Duvall: Can you provide an update on the timetable to consult ona new route linking Greenwich with Woolwich, connecting with Cycleway 4? Has this been delayed due to the general election on the 12 December 2019?

The Mayor: As you are aware, Transport for London (TfL) plans to consult on proposals for the next phase of Cycleway 4 between Greenwich and Woolwich. The intention had been to launch the consultation for these proposals in 2019, but this has been delayed by the general election pre-election period. TfL is currently reviewing the timescales, but expects public consultation to take place as soon as possible in the new year.
Construction works for Cycleway 4 between Tower Bridge and Greenwich are progressing well and are ahead of schedule, with the first section due to complete in spring 2020.

Electric vehicle charging (2)

Shaun Bailey: How many electric vehicle charging points are currently functional in London and what are their different capacities?

The Mayor: In October, the Department of Transport released a local authority map to show charge points in each local authority across the country (http://maps.dft.gov.uk/ev-charging-map/). This shows London is leading the electric vehicle charging infrastructure revolution with 4,360 charge points. Of these, 323 are rapid charge points (defined as 43kW or above).
The availability of data for public authorities to undertake long-term planning around charge points and energy use is limited and it lacks consistency. This means Transport for London is unable to provide a complete account of all London’s electric vehicle charging points. The Government has committed to working with industry to make charge point data freely available and we will continue to hold it to account.

Electric vehicle charging (1)

Shaun Bailey: What progress are you making on installing electric vehicle charging infrastructure across London?

The Mayor: My world leading Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Taskforce worked with more than 140 organisations on a new Delivery Plan for the Capital, published earlier this year. This shows current progress on installing EV charging infrastructure is in line with demand and it explains how the public and private sector will ensure Londoners have access to the essential infrastructure required to run and maintain an electric vehicle.
Furthermore, London was recently recognised by the Department for Transport as leading the electric vehicle infrastructure revolution across the UK with almost 4,000 charging stations. Transport for London (TfL) is well on track to deliver its on target of 300 rapid charge points by the end of 2020, with 213 rapid charge points installed to date (including 73 dedicated to taxis). Furthermore, the London Go Ultra Low City Scheme (GULCS), managed by the GLA, TfL and London Councils, has led to 1,519 charge points being delivered in residential areas across 23 London boroughs since 2018.

Terminating HS2 at Old Oak Common (1)

Florence Eshalomi: TfL have said, “Our analysis shows terminating all HS2 services at Old Oak Common would have very serious and unacceptable implications for the Elizabeth line, with capacity being exceeded during the AM peak, as well as implications for other interchanging stations within central London”. Can you publish this analysis so what can see what effect terminating all HS2 services at Old Oak Common would have?

The Mayor: In October I wrote to Doug Oakervee, chair of the HS2 Review, setting out my views on the review. I have attached a copy of my letter, which includes Transport for London’s analysis of terminating Phase 1 of HS2 at Old Oak Common in Appendix 1.

Vehicle scrappage scheme for low income and disabled Londoners

Caroline Pidgeon: Following the launch of the vehicle scrappage scheme on the 23 October 2019 what estimate has been made of the proportion of the £25 million fund that will be allocated to (1) purchasing new cars and motorbikes, (2) hiring new cars and motorbikes, and (3) other forms of travel including public transport and cycling.

The Mayor: The payment successful applicants will receive upon scrapping their vehicle can be spent flexibly. It may be put towards hiring or purchasing a compliant vehicle but it is not expected that all applicants will replace their vehicle. Given this is the first scheme of its kind, Transport for London has not made projections about how payments will be spent.
Successful applicants will receive details of promotions from other organisations alongside the scrappage payment, which will support them to choose more sustainable modes of transport. Discounts and promotions include a year’s free membership of the Santander Cycles hire scheme.

Taxi charging points

David Kurten: What will you do to tackle the urgent and growing problem of private hire drivers and other electric vehicles using dedicated charging points for black taxis?

The Mayor: Where an electric charging bay designated for taxis has a valid Traffic Management Order in place and is on the Transport for London Road Network (TLRN), a Penalty Charge Notice (PCN) will be issued by Transport for London (TfL).
In addition to the dedicated taxi network, London’s cabbies can use the growing number of public rapid charging points. A recent league table from the Department of Transport shows London now has 323 publicly accessible rapid charge points, of which 217 have been delivered with support from TfL.

GLA Recruitment BAME Pool

Jennette Arnold: A target set as part of the Ethnicity Pay Gap Action Plan was to “develop a pool of GLA BAME staff trained specifically to participate in interviews at any level.” Please provide details of the pool and its involvement in recruitment across the GLA.

The Mayor: This remains an important priority for the GLA as part of the Ethnicity Pay Gap Action Plan, and in working towards achieving exemplary employer level status against the Diversity and Inclusion Action Standard.
The GLA’s current recruitment policy states all managers taking part in recruitment must be trained and where possible the panel should be representative. In each recruitment campaign, hiring managers are encouraged to ensure there is appropriate representation where possible.
Currently, there are 420 staff trained, 24 per centof which are BAME and which is broadly representative of the GLA’s current BAME workforce profile. This pool of trained staff includes 43 senior level managers (Grade 12 or above), 23 per centof which are BAME.
An example of progress in ensuring the diversity of panels was during the recent recruitment campaigns for Housing & Land and the Royal Docks. 176 candidates were interviewed for the 49 vacancies and every interview panel comprised of at least two individuals who possessed a protected characteristic, as defined by the Equality Act 2010.
The HR&OD unit will continue explore ways to further extend the pool of BAME staff available to participate in interviews and will work with the BAME Staff Network to agree an approach.